A deal to sell for Chicago-based Weigel Broadcasting to sell three low-power TV stations to WSBT owner Schurz Communications in South Bend has fallen through. Weigel, who owns ABC affiliate WBND-TV, CW affiliate WCWW-TV and My Network TV affiliate WMYS-TV planned to sell the trio to Schurz, who in addition to the ratings-dominant CBS affiliate also owns the South Bend […]
In perhaps the lowest amount ever paid for a TV or radio station in North America history, three small Canadian stations were sold on Friday – for a buck each. Cable MSO Shaw Communications purchased CHWI-TV in Wheatley (Windsor), Ont.; CKX-TV in Brandon, Man.; and CKNX-TV in Wingham, Ont. from CTVglobemedia. All three stations are branded “The A Channel”. CTVglobemedia […]
The past week’s winners and losers: Four cheers of the week – Bulls-Celtics Playoff Series. Even though the Bulls did not win, admit it: It was the most entertaining playoff series in years. Thanks for the ride. – … but the Blackhawks are still in! They advanced past Calgary in the first round and now facing Vancouver in the second, […]
Ah, it’s good to be back… because of several scheduling snafus (eliminating any free time I had), The T Dog Media Blog was unexpectedly put on hiatus last week. But we’re back -and better – and snarkier – than ever before. Let’s celebrate by reaching into the Grab Bag… – A word about this article in TV Week regarding reality’s […]
Updated story The FCC has rejected an application for all of the stations in the Rockford-Freeport area (northwest of Chicago) to switch to all-digital broadcasting. The stations: CBS affiliate WIFR, NBC affiliate WREX, ABC affiliate WTVO, and Fox affiliate WQRF were among four of 123 stations whose applications to change over on the original switchover date (Feb. 17.) Those stations […]
Don’t look for Chicago TV stations to dump their analog signals until June 12. Chicago, along with a lot of other large markets, are keeping their analog signals on the air to avoid confusion from viewers (and perhaps protests from community groups.) President Obama signed a bill today that would keep analog signals on the air until June 12 instead […]
It’s now June 12 again – the House passed a bill that moves the transition date from February 17 to June 12. However, stations can still shut their analog signals on February 17. A somewhat similar bill was defeated in the House last week. President Obama said that he would sign the legislation.
It’s back! After a few weeks of being on hiatus, the weekly list of winners and losers returns. The Four Fab Pack – Marie Osmond. What a career comeback. She’s performing with her brother on stage in Vegas and now her new talk show for fall has cleared 70 percent of the country in syndication. And she’s still fine. – […]
If you haven’t gotten your converter box – you’d better bet cracking. The House defeated a bill that would have extended the analog cut-off date to June 12. The Obama Administration wanted the deadline to be extended because there was fear a lot of Americans weren’t ready for the switchover and the coupon program ran out of money. With the […]
The Senate has voted to delay the digital TV switch until June 12 from February 17, the original date the switchover was to take place. The vote was unanimous, and it is now expected to go to the House, where it is expected to easily pass. Consumers were to get $40 coupons to help them get a converter box if […]
He’s leaving on January 20. Good riddance. Don’t hit your pompous ass on your way out the door.
A new size for the Trib; A new FCC Chairman (hooray!); Stargate Atlantis exits with a bang; Fox cancels Prison Break. – One advantage the Chicago Sun-Times had over the Trib was its tabloid-like size and the ease of reading it on the bus or on the “L”. Now, that’s gone. Oh-oh… Chicago Tribune introduces a new size: The paper […]
The first four-post day in a long time! Here’s some more news… – From Chicagoland Radio and Media: WGN-TV news anchor Allison Payne is expected to return to the desk Monday evening. She has been sitting out off and on for the last year or so recovering from a set of mini-strokes. – The contestants for the new season of […]
I’ve noticed that hardly anyone has come up with a worst TV show list for 2008 (too easy, perhaps?) Maybe the economy was bad enough not to talk about any bad TV… Anyhoo, here are the worst, the inane, the horrible, horrible, stench of what was left behind in 2008 in terms of media – and remember, we’re not just […]
Happy New Year, everyone! Instead of listing just TV shows, yours truly has decided to include items other than TV shows in the annual Excellent 10 and Toilet 10 lists across this year. Two history-making events happening in 2008 – Michael Phelps’ Olympic Gold Medal run and Barack Obama’s acceptance speech here in Chicago after becoming the first African-American President […]
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